The present invention relates to an improved feeder for agricultural animals, in particular, poultry. The feeder is provided with a plurality of reflective particles that are integral with the body of the feeder and which act to attract the poultry to the feeder, thus enhancing feeding behavior.
It has long been known that it is desirable for agricultural animals to eat plentifully so that they may stay healthy for their ultimate purpose, whether it be to reproduce or to be sold commercially. Problems have arisen, though, in that some agricultural animals do not eat enough food for their intended purpose. One reason for this problem is that the agricultural animals are not capable of detecting where their food is being set out for them and, thus, they cannot eat it if they cannot find it. It is for this purpose that those skilled in the art of the agricultural business have attempted to find ways to attract the agricultural animals to their feeding trays or bins.
One past method of attracting animals to their feeding trays or bins is by coloring the feeding tray or bin with a color that is attractive to that animal. For instance, it is relatively well known within the agricultural industry that adult turkeys and chickens are attracted to the color red and, therefore, many adult turkey and chicken feeding trays are now colored red in order to entice the adult turkeys and chickens to move towards the red feeding tray so that it is easier for the adult turkey and chickens to find their food. Likewise, it is also well known within the agricultural industry that young turkeys are attracted to a mossy green color and, therefore, most young turkey feeders are made of such a color.
Another known method of attracting animals to their feeding trays is by the use of sound. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,944 to Bate et al. shows a poultry feeder that has audio conveying means to facilitate the feeding behavior of chicks. The audio conveying means plays sounds, such as maternal vocalizations, to attract the chicks to the feeder.
The present invention provides yet another innovative means of attracting animals to their feeding trays.
A primary object of the invention is to provide an agricultural feeder that will help attract agricultural animals to the feeder such that the animals"" feeding behavior will be enhanced.
Another object of the invention is to provide a feeder which is light in weight, thereby decreasing strain on associated feed system and conveyor parts.
A further object of the invention is to provide a feeder that has the enhanced capability of attracting agricultural animals to it that does not dramatically increase the cost of making the feeders.
Another object of the invention is to provide a feeder that has the enhanced capability of attracting agricultural animals to it that does not make use of any additional mechanical or electrical parts.
Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing, the present invention provides a novel feeder that is used to attract agricultural animals to the feeder to enhance the animals"" feeding behavior. It is known that it is sometimes necessary to attract agricultural animals to a feeder for them to feed, as the animals sometimes are unable, without some assistance, to find the feeder on their own. Thus, the present invention provides a plastic non-reflective feeder that is integrally formed with a plurality of reflective particles that attract the attention of the animals. Once the animals notice the reflective particles, the animals are drawn toward the feeder, thus enabling them to find and eat the food in the feeder.